It’s been a hard few years for a lot of friends of mine. Up until I left Pittsburgh in 1989 I was usually out at nights with the local Deadhead crowd. My room mate of many years was in Sandoz, one of the top local bands of the time. They were at the core of the Pittsburgh Deadhead scene. As a local folk-rocker I’d always been on the fringes of it. Year in and year out, the audiences which supported local writers like myself were largely part of that scene.
It was saddening when I heard Gerry Garcia had passed away and the Dead would no longer tour. Their concerts were just undoubtedly the craziest, most fun, warmest and friendliest I can imagine ever to exist in this life. You simply had to experience the all day parking lot party followed by four hours of continuous music by the Dead. No warm up band: they played for the love of the music. No searches for hidden tape recorders: they reserved the center section for the TapeHeads. There was always a forest of microphones there. Every Dead concert that ever was can be had on a bootleg tape. The Dead even encourage fans to trade show tapes on the Internet. Just don’t trade their studio work… that’s all they ask.
It is with great pleasure I read they are touring again albeit with out Gerry because he’s, well, dead, not just Dead… You known what I mean.
I suggest you read the article. The changes since 1995 when they last toured should give you an indication of exactly how fast Liberty is being undermined in America. People go to Dead concerts to get high, dance naked, groove on the music, be nice to each other, party until dawn and in plain words have an incredibly good time. Times so good you savour them for the rest of your life.
A State that blocks innocent pleasure is hardly worth fighting for except the enemy we face is far, far worse and stands against absolutely everything about a Dead concert or a Rainbow Gathering.
If you want to know “Why We Fight”, join their tour and let yourself go. Saving this life style is something worth fighting for.
Photos: D.Amon
Note also that Phish carries on this tradition; they also provide excellent section for tapers, and now people also burn CDs of their shows. If you like the Dead, try Phish – they’re recently back together though unfortunately I’m moving back to the States too late to get tickets for the three-day show in my hometown of Hampton.
Some of the best concert experiences I’ve ever had were at Phish shows.
Also, this sort of nonsense like what is happening in Roanoke varies from city to city; Roanoke is deep religious conservative country. I would imagine the Deadheads have been hassled there in the past.
Again with Phish, this reminds me of the few times they played the Virginia Beach ampitheater in the summer, which is across the James River on the southside from Hampton, where they play Fall shows. In Hampton, the police are fairly enlightened about the whole affair and don’t really give fans too hard of a time. In Va Beach, the cops were out of control and seriously harrassed fans both times Phish played there. Phish stopped playing the ampitheater.
Va. Beach is super conservative and the home of Pat Robertson’s religious organization.
You might like my friends in Pittsburgh then: Sandoz.
Thanks for the tip!
Two people who I attended college and law school with were in Sandoz at one time or another. I remember seeing them at various Pittsburgh clubs backin the early-mid ’80’s and had their first recording. Nice, eclectic music with a definite Dead flavor to their originals.
Nitpick: His name is Jerry, not Gerry.
At least, on the left side of the pond.